Guzzardi: Illegal Immigrants to March on Washington Demanding Legal Status

By Joe GuzzardiApril 3, 2013 12:28 pm

Text Size:AAA

Here we go again. On April 10, thousands of illegal immigrants and their lobbyists will gather on the National Mall to support an immigration reform bill that the Senate is expected to introduce this month.

Every time Congress debates immigration, large crowds gather in various major cities nationwide. Through their sheer numbers, they hope to persuade legislators that they deserve to live legally in the United States.

The mass protest strategy is at least a decade old and has consistently failed. In 2003, the Immigration Freedom Bus Ride began its voyage from downtown Los Angeles and 17 other big cities to descend on Washington to demand legal status. The organizers outrageously drew comparisons to the original 1961 Freedom Ride when African-Americans and their white allies rode to the South to challenge segregation. During the last decade, other high visibility illegal immigrant demonstrations have occurred in Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington, D.C.

The game plan is ill conceived. Aliens have an audience much larger than the Senate and the House of Representatives. During the 2006 and 2007 amnesty pushes, when Americans turned on their evening news and saw aliens demanding permanent legal residency, citizens' phone calls and faxes flooded Congress' offices.

Although many claim that public attitudes toward immigration reform have improved during the seven years since the George W. Bush era amnesties, the truth is different. The public doesn't believe any immigration enforcement promise that Congress makes. As a matter of fact, Americans don't trust Congress on any issue; hence, it's 14 percent approval rating.

Take, as an example, the current immigration deal under consideration and for which enforcement is allegedly the key. Four Senators from the Gang of Eight—Mike Bennet (D-CO), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), John McCain (R-AZ) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ)—spent part of their congressional spring break touring the border. While there, McCain tweeted that he saw a woman scale the fence in full view. Nevertheless, Schumer reiterated what Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano lied about earlier this year, that the border is secure and comprehensive immigration reform can go forward without further delay. Schumer added that a porous border is less important that getting 11 million aliens "out of the shadows."

To be clear: Schumer is eye-witness to an illegal border crosser, then declares the border secure and announces that Congress has to go full bore to get aliens "out of the shadows," the same aliens who will descend on Capitol Hill in broad daylight in two weeks.

According to rumors, the Gang of Eight reached a tentative agreement this weekend that will, among other things, create about 20,000 new visas for low-skilled labor. For poor, unemployed Americans who would willingly take a custodial or hospitality job, the new "W" visa will make their search much harder.

But few in powerful positions in business or politics care about struggling Americans. The Gang of Eight and the White House's goal is to provide as much cheap labor as possible for their corporate donors.

The February U-6 unemployment rate is 14.3; 22 million Americans are unemployed or under-employed. Yet Congress and President Obama, who campaigned on job creation, are determined to ram through an immigration bill that would have dire consequences for the most vulnerable Americans.

The surprise isn't that Congress's 14 percent approval rating is so low. The shocker is that, in light of Congress' defiant persistence on immigration, it's so high.

33 Comments

Comment by ebkistler April 3, 2013 @ 1:34 pm

If they are going to gather it would be a good time to load them up and deport them. They have been breaking the law and we are supposed to recognise them. Okay, your here illegally so pay the penalty.

I totally agree round them up and don’t waste time with a trial throw em out. Stick em on a plane and send them to Iran. Those that run, shoot em.

VN:F [1.9.6_1107]

Rate this comment:

please wait...

Rating: 4.7/5 (47 votes cast)

Comment by ccfonten April 3, 2013 @ 7:19 pm

Round them up and catapult them back over the border.
Seeing Juan, Julio, Carlos and Maria flying through the air just might be a deterrent.

VN:F [1.9.6_1107]

Rate this comment:

please wait...

Rating: 4.8/5 (16 votes cast)

Comment by lokiswife April 4, 2013 @ 12:05 am

The problem with amnesty is that 60% of the illegal immigrants don’t have a high school education or marketable job skills so they are dependent on taxpayer subsidies either as their lifestyle or as a stepping stone to standing on their own two feet. Once they get used to “free money” it’s hard to get them to stand on their own two feet and work to support themselves.

If they allow amnesty for the 11 million, after they become citizens, they can then legally bring in family members and relatives. The 11 million could quickly swell to 30 or 40 million or more.

VN:F [1.9.6_1107]

Rate this comment:

please wait...

Rating: 4.7/5 (31 votes cast)

Comment by MadeinAmerica33 April 4, 2013 @ 10:33 am

After the round up of the illegals seize enough of their assests to pay for the return to their Home country. This should have been done to the 5000 detained illegal immigrants that were released to further roam the USA. Hey PREZ! how about an executive order to cover this! Congress get busy and make this a law.

General comment to all: 11 million criminal illegal aliens? Hah! They’ve been using that – same number – for years! Don’t believe it for one second. Probably already closer to 20 million by now.

VN:F [1.9.6_1107]

Rate this comment:

please wait...

Rating: 5.0/5 (11 votes cast)

Comment by tylerlogan April 3, 2013 @ 1:34 pm

This sounds like the perfect opportunity to round up and deport thousands of illegal cockroaches (that’s what I call them now that the AP has changed its stylebook). Think about how many jobs that would create for legal American citizens.

Good plan… Deport them…
However Americans on welfare don’t want to work, so who is going to do the low skilled work.
This plan needs to also revise welfare at the same time.
Before anyone receives welfare they need a clean drug test, and they have to report for work at the jobs that illegals have left behind..Welfare should only be a supplement for low paying jobs.

VN:F [1.9.6_1107]

Rate this comment:

please wait...

Rating: 4.7/5 (47 votes cast)

Comment by retirednavy April 3, 2013 @ 5:58 pm

madashell44, take the lazy no-a-counts off welfare. We need to get rid of all welfare and give the responcibility back to the communites, the religious organizations, families, churchs etc; That would get the lazy back to work inspired by a very agressive family member who has to support him or her. I take care of my aged until death others can too. The TRULY disabled mobil living alone recieve Social Security instead of all those so called deprived socially. I now sleep in a be that three people have already died in, I’m 73 and I will die in it too in 10 or 15 years (I hope).

VN:F [1.9.6_1107]

Rate this comment:

please wait...

Rating: 4.9/5 (16 votes cast)

Comment by wedey April 3, 2013 @ 1:44 pm

I say on April the l0th when they converge on Washington, arrest them all for being illegal and then make them pay a big fine and use that fine for more border security.

It is bad enough that they don’t follow the law but then are throwing it in our faces knowing that nothing will be done to them. The older illegals at least used to hide in the background. Just like any other criminal, they have no regard for the laws of the land.

Why would criminals have any regard for the law of the land when our executive office has the same disregard for the same laws?

VN:F [1.9.6_1107]

Rate this comment:

please wait...

Rating: 5.0/5 (36 votes cast)

Comment by westflorida April 3, 2013 @ 2:05 pm

What gives these Illegal Immigrants the right to march on our Nations Capital making demands on us. They were not forced to come here they are not seeking political asylum to get away from an oppressive government. They have not earned the rights of Citizenship but are making demands for free, health care, free food stamps, free college tuition, free welfare and of course freedom to rape, pillage, and kill legal citizens.
What about the many Legal Immigrants that worked hard and followed all the procedures and did the right things under the law to gain and earn citizenship are they just a bunch of schmucks and law abiding citizens like us.
Thanks to our current mess in Washington and previous administrations we have let this go on too long now we pay the price for the fat cats in Washington who just want to keep their jobs rather than protect us and enforce the current laws they passed and uphold the Oath they took and Swore to enforce those laws and protect the Constitution of the United States.
You may have seen this before but I had to post it again.

Article 33 of Mexico’s constitution establishes the right of the president to detain and deport “any foreigner” and prohibits foreigners from participating “in any way” in the political affairs of the country.

While you read this passage, dwell on the demagogic rhetoric of meddling Mexican consular officials and lobbyists who assail America for its (poorly enforced) detention and deportation policies:

“The President of the Republic shall have the power to expel from national territory any foreigner, according to the law and after a hearing. The law shall establish the administrative procedure for this purpose, as well as the place where the foreigner should be detained and the time for that. Foreigners may not in any way participate in the political affairs of the country.”

Article 32 of Mexico’s constitution unapologetic-ally bans non-native born residents from holding sensitive jobs and joining the country’s military. Preference is given unabashedly to Mexicans over foreigners.

While you read this passage, contemplate the inexorable push by open-borders groups to secure illegal alien “rights” to American jobs, American military assignments, American driver’s licenses, discounted U.S. college tuition and Obamacare:

“Only Mexicans by birth can perform all government employments, positions, or commissions in which the status of citizenship is indispensable. During peacetime, foreigners shall neither serve in the Army nor in the police bodies. During peacetime, only Mexicans by birth can serve in the Army, in the Navy or in the Air Force as well can perform any employment or commission within such corporations.

The same condition applies to captains, pilots, skippers, ship engineers, flight engineers and, in general, to every crew member in a ship or an airplane carrying the Mexican flag. In the same way, only Mexicans by birth can be port harbormasters, steersmen and airport superintendents.

Mexicans shall have priority over foreigners, under equal circumstances, for all kind of concessions, employments, positions or commissions of the government in which the status of citizenship is not indispensable.”

While amnesty advocates and civil liberties zealots in the U.S. decry “police state” tactics against illegal aliens, Mexico fiercely maintains laws against illegal border crossings; “verification visits” to enforce visa conditions; requirements that foreigners produce proof of legal status on demand; and enforcement and cooperation between and among immigration officials and law enforcement authorities at all levels in Mexico. Native-born Mexicans are also empowered to make citizens arrests of illegal aliens and turn them in to authorities.

Mexico’s National Catalog of Foreigners tracks all outside tourists and foreign nationals. A National Population Registry tracks and verifies the identity of every member of the population, who must carry a citizens identity card. Visitors who do not possess proper documents and identification are subject to arrest at any time. And for those seeking permanent residency or naturalization, Mexico requires that they must not be economic burdens on society and must have clean criminal histories. Those seeking to obtain Mexican citizenship must show a birth certificate, provide a bank statement proving economic independence, pass an exam and prove they can provide their own health care.

Applicants are assessed based on a point system using factors such as level of education, employment experience, and scientific and technological knowledge. Property acquisition and ownership by foreigners is still severely restricted. Mexican corporations are banned from hiring illegal aliens.

Exit question: If such self-interested “nativism” is right and good for the protection and survival of Mexico, why not for the United States?

You have to hand it to them, they have a lot of brass…you have to have large cajoles to come out from your hide and march en-mass. That our government won’t round them up and arrest them is proof positive that the government is poisoned with PC and paralyzed when it comes to enforcing our laws. It’s despicable.

Unfortunately this administration feels that their job is to protect the illegals from the citizens and legal residents of our country, not the other way around. Until we have the people in power who understand that it is their sworn duty to uphold our laws and go after those who break them, we will never get this problem under control. Shame on us for allowing this blatant abuse of power to continue.

These illegal aliens have no right to DEMAND anything from American citizens. We owe them NOTHING and if this “gang of 8″ gives them amnesty, we will work HARD to make sure every one of them and all those who vote for it, are not reelected at their next election! We are sick and tired of the old guard in the House and Senate, giving in to DEMANDS of illegal aliens and those fascists who support them. It’s time to bring America back to its old self………SICK AND TIRED OF WORTHLESS DECISIONS!

If Obama actually renounced his questionable US citizenship to become an Indonesian citizen so he could travel to Pakistan and so he could attend Occidental College as a foreign student on Fulbright money, maybe he’ll lead the illegal alien march. Too bad Gilbert and Sullivan are dead, they could have written a great comic opera about this situation.

This theory of them doing the work no one else wants to is BS. Folks out here in the heartland are hurtin for cash and if an employer cannot afford the minimum wage payroll (Illegal alien wages)down on their luck and broke, US Citizens would be happy to work for less I am sure.
Back when the minimum wage was 50 cents an hour we were happy to work for less at $3/day doing ranch work for 10 -12 hours a day and sometimes night calving at 24 hours a day. Ranchers could not afford a crew of teenagers and young adults at minimum wage.

Even more insidious is the thought that some of these illegal aliens will be permitted to walk the halls of Congress to press their demands. Harry Truman called the White House the “People’s House”; I view the House and Senate buildings in the same light. The very idea that illegal aliens would be permitted to enter those buildings is disgusting and a mockery of the more than 2 million Americans who have died in the service of this republic since its founding.

I heard that Senator Schumer said the immigration plan from the “gang of eight”, of which he is the leader, has stated that recognizing the immigrants and giving them some version of legal status comes first and border security comes second at best. So, it sounds like another amnesty deal without any plan to secure the borders.

I don’t think that is where Rubio is and he is one of the gang. No long term bipartisan solution can ever be reached without a major improvement in border security.

Obama should order Janet Napolitana to round up the protesters, take them to the border and push them over the boundary, giving herself a break from buying ammo and tanks to use against the American citizen. Guards should be placed on the border and the drones Obama wants to use against Americans on US soil should be used to patrol the border and shoot down anyone who steps across the boundary.

I would like to propose a simple solution to securing the border that would have liberal democrats screaming as much as their lungs would allow. The best border security ever was designed to keep people in rather than to keep people out and that was the Berlin wall and other borders in the former Eastern Bloc. Simply build two types of border fences on the southern border, two normal and one electric between the two barriers. This would be a real deterrent to anyone who wants to cross the border illegally. Although there are vast places along the northern border without a fence it is interesting how quickly the border security agents respond to someone crossing this border. Our prisions are secured much better than our borders.

Of course the liberals will say that this is not the type of image we want the US to reflect and that it is somehow inhumane. Is it really anymore inhumane than illegals dying in the desert or risking their lives to get to this country ? Anyone trying to cross the border illegally would at least know this is not the way to go. This would allow for the border agent’s work to be safer and more efficient.

Secure the border first and then decide what to do with those that came here illegally. A general, all encompassing amnesty is not an answer and a slap in the face of all immigrants that came here legally as my father and wife did. Immigrating to the US is a privillage and not a right !

Who are these people to DEMAND ANYTHING from this country other than a swift arrest, and a bus ride back to their OWN countries, that THEY will be TOLD to buy THEMSELVES! It’s time the LEGAL American CITIZENS march on Washington and DEMAND the government give US back our constitutional rights!

I’d suggest that in addition to unloading your feelings on this site, take a few minutes, go to the site of your reps in the Senate and the House and let them know how you feel and how this bill could affect your vote in the future. Pressure put on votes is more telling then just gripping about things…

Lets face it the nation is in decline and we may not be soon enough to stop the end of the greatest nation in history. We allow non citizens free food free shelter free schools and soon these 11 million will have the vote. The left wants this with all their being. They stole this last election with huge voter fraud and tens of thousands of illegals voting now they want to be called something other than illegal and the liberal press is buying this ****. I am weary of the fight it is the left attacking Jesus and God then this and the government spending tax dollars they will have to wait for my grand children to pay.Enough is Enough Stop this now call your congressman and demand that Ice round up and deport the fools who come to these rally’s.